Examples

Family/Dining/Kitchen - A1 Tariff

A typical installation in a family / dining / kitchen of 70sqm, less approx. 10sqm for non-usable space such as kitchen cupboards/TV recesses etc a 7kw system would usually be installed. The cost is over a 3 month winter period (90 days x 8 hours per day = 720 hours) with a duty cycle of factor of approx 40% the expected consumption would be approx 2.8kw (40% of 7kw) x 720hrs = 2016 kwh. At current Synergy prices (A1 tariff) of 17.61 cents per hour this would work out at approx $355 per year.

Family/Dining/Kitchen with Smart Power

The same calculation with a smart meter (off peak) running the heating overnight for 10 hours from 2100hrs-0700hrs would work out 900 hours x 2.8kw 2520kwh @ 9.12 cents = $230 per year.

A typical bathroom installation would require a 600 to 800 watt system and based on 90 days x 4 hours per day x 0.8kw = 288kwh. At the current A1 tariff price of 17.61 cents per hour, the total bathroom running cost would be around $50 for the 3 month period. Again, if a smart power meter was installed & the heating was operated during the off-peak time the cost would reduce to around $25 per year.

Note:

The above examples are all based on a 3-month heating season (June-August) & based on current insulation levels and on achieving average room temperatures of around 21 degrees. If you run the heating for longer and at higher temperatures, the typical running costs will increase accordingly.

For large full home installations of 200sqm and above and where under floor heating is the sole heating system, significant energy savings could be made by installing a Hydronic (water based) under floor heating instead of an electric one. However it should be noted that the initial capital installation costs of a hydronic under floor heating system would be considerably higher.

Running Costs

One of the most common questions we get about electric floor heating, is how much does it cost to run?

The answer to the question is that, as with any heating or cooling, the costs will depend on the external temperature, how warm you want the home, the length of time the heating is in use & whether you are using standard or off peak (smart meter) electricity.

Whilst here in Australia, insulation levels may not be as good as many European countries where floor heating is the norm, this is usually compensated for by the fact that the external winter temperatures here are in most cases, considerably higher, however if you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint & keep heating & cooling costs to a minimum, consideration should always be given to a good solar passive design & the highest levels of insulation that are practical within your budget. Increasing ceiling insulation to R5 or R6 & even double glazing the windows will usually always pay for themselves over the long term.

Our best advice on this subject if using under floor heating as your main heating system would be firstly to carefully consider using smart power & secondly to set the temperatures to the minimum at which you feel comfortable as every degree higher would normally result in an increased cost of around 10%.

Heat Output

The typical heat output in an average installation is around 120-130 watts per square metre for the available free floor area in main living areas (family/dining/kitchen etc.) However in bathrooms we usually increase the output around 200w/sqm in bathrooms to ensure higher comfort levels & a faster response time.

Advanced Control

The advanced digital thermostat we use in our installations measures the temperature in regular 15 minute cycles & then delivers just the right amount of power during the next cycle in order to maintain a constant temperature. This ensures energy is not wasted & also avoids the 'peaks & troughs' associated with many other forms of heating.

Off Peak Electricity (Smart Power)

If you are using floor heating as your main or sole heating system for the home, we would usually recommend having a smart meter installed so that you can take advantage of reduced rate electricity which at current prices is approximately half the cost of the standard tariff. The current cost for having a smart meter installed is around $60 + GST. The only downside being that 'peak' rate power is more expensive. For further information on smart power, please see the synergy website or download the smart power brochure.

Contact us today for an obligation free quotation, floor heating is not as expensive as you might think!